Combination tool



Oct'. 7, 1941. c. MOLINELLI 2,258,514

COMBINATION TOOL Filed March 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 1 \f k) Q k, \Q5

I N V EN TOR. (Zarsflfl 7/18 elk;

Affarzzqya O ct. 7, 1941. c. M. MOLJNELLI 2,253,514

communion TOOL Filed March 4, 1.940 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 7, i941 UNITED COMBINATION TOOL.

Charles M..Molinelli, Rockaway' Beach, N. Y. Application March 4, 1940, SerialNo. 322,237

2 Claims. (Cl.:'30 -250) The'present invention relates to combination toolsand is moreparticularly directed to 'a' tool for boxing or opening containers such as boxes, cartons andcrates,rwhich has all of the elements necessary for performingthe various operations combined in asingle tool.

The principalobjectjof the present invention is to provide an economically produced and conveniently operated tool which can be utilizedfor opening or assembling containers.

Anotherimportant object of the present invention' is to'provide. a singletool formed of several elements which. can be made to coact with one another for performing the various operations necessary for opening cartons, wire-bound containers, or nail .or screw'retained box structures.

Astill further object of the present invention is to provide a new-and novel wire cutter which requires ,a relativelyfsmall' amount, of effort to operate and which; also,'can be manipulated for opening paper cartons- Further objects of the present invention will be in partobvious andin part pointed out inthe following detailed description of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:"

Fig. 1 is a perspective view'of the tool accord ing to the present invention being operated for severing a wire binding a board box.

Fig.2 is a view of theupper face of the present tool.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the present tool partly in section and showing a wire positioned for being cut.

Fig. 4 is a side cross sectional view of a portion of the tool as used for opening cartons.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of one portion of the tool with the wire cutting and carton opening blade in a partially open position, and

Fig. 6 is another perspective view taken at an opposite angle to Fig. 5 and showing the wire cutting and carton opening blade in its closed position.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings wherein like and corresponding parts are designated through the several views by similar reference characters, numeral I designates the shaft of the tool which has a rectilinear cross sectional configuration at one end thereof formed by tapered upper and lower faces 3 and slightly tapered side walls 4, which terminate into a relatively narrow end portion 2 for forming a screwdriver, as well as a substantially straight crowbar.

Upper and lower faces 3 have a narrow longitudinally extending slot 5 formed through shaft I from one of said facesto the other. Positioned within slot5 is a cutting blade 6 which has one edge thereof sharpened and terminating in a point 8 and the opposite dge formed with a slight longitudinal curve and sharpened to a knife edge I. Said blade 6 is pivotally retained within slot 5 by a pin 9 extendingthrough shaft I from one side wall '4 to'the other and through an opening in the medial portion of blade The opposite portion of blade Bhas a flat laterallypositioned plate I0 forming an operating base and control member. A-reoess -I I, having a similar configuration to said plate -I0; is formed withinthe upper face 3 of shaft I for receiving said plate I 0 therein. At such" times as plate I0 is positioned within recess II', the remainder of bladed-will be'received within slot 5.

Theend opposite to the wedge-shaped portion of shaft I has a claw-type hammer head I2 formed therewith or affixed thereto. One end I3 ofsaid hammer I2 is shaped for driving nails, while'the other portion forms a pair of claws I4 which extend towards one another and meet for forming a nail receiving groove I5.- The head of the claw hammer extends substantially at right angles to blade Band preferably does not extend belowthe lower face'3 of shaft I. The shaft I may be-made of any material, either wood or metal, whilethe hammerhead I2 is formed from' a relatively heavy metallic material forming a weighted end upon the shaft I.

In opening a container A, which is bound by a metallic wire or band or a cord 0, th present tool can be operated for severing the wire band or cord by grasping the hammer head I2 in one hand and pointing the narrow end 2 under the member to be severed and forcing the wedge end of the shaft I thereunder. At the same time, placing the end 2 on the upper side B of the container A and using the end as a pivot point, the hammer end I2 is raised for raising the element 0. Upon the raising of the shaft I, the plate ID will automatically drop, since this portion of the blade 6 is heavier than the remaining portion of the blade extending from the opposite side of the pin 9. Blade 6 and cutting edge I will be raised from within slot 5 upon the dropping of plate III and element 0 will extend across the upper face 3 and slot 5 with cutting edge I bearing downwardly thereon. At this point, pressure is applied to the hammer head I2 and the pivot point shifts from end 2 to an edge of plate ID which is now situated upon said upper face B. Continued pressure will cause cutting edge 'I and upper face 3 to coact and sever the element C at that point. The considerable length of shaft I extending from pivot pin 9 to hammer head I2, and the weight of said hammer head I2, permits considerable force to be brought to bear in the severing of the element while, at the same time, the hammer head I2 forms a convenient and comfortable handle for operating the tool.

Cutting edge I is given a slight curve longitudinally of blade 6 whereby the element C will be retained for being cut and the curvature prevents the element C from sliding along the cutting edge I and in that manner escaping.

In opening cardboard cartons D, the upper face 3 of the shaft I in Figs. 1 to 3, is reversed and becomes the lower face, that is, point 8 extends downwardly, while plate I0 extends up-v wardly. Blade 6 is thus vertically positioned and shaft I is grasped in the operators hand with one finger, preferably the thumb, extending and placed against the plate IE1. Point 8 is then forced downwardly into the carton D and the entire tool drawn in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 4, with the blade 6 retained against any pivotal movement by the thumb extending against plate It]. In this manner, point 8 and the sharp edge of blade 6 extending therefrom are caused to cut and thus open the carton.

In opening nail retained containers such as box A of Fig. 1, the blade 6 with plate I 0 is positioned within slot and recess II respectively, thereby being completely out of the way. At this time, the shaft I is positioned with the plate Ill lying within the upper face, as shown in Fig. 6, whereby the weight of plate It retains the blade 5 Within recess 5. Edge 2 is then inserted under the edge of the side boards of the box A and pressure applied to hammer head I2, whereupon, the shaft I is operated as a crowbar and forces the boards outwardly, while at the same time, gradually inserting the wedge end of the shaft I. After the boards have been forced outwardly a given distance or completely from the box, the hammer head I2 and shaft I can be used in the well known manner as a claw hammer for removing the nails from the boards.

In cases where the boxes are retained .by screws, the edge 2 can be inserted in the recess in the head of the screw and the shaft I rotated, thereby functioning as a screw driver for removing said screws.

It is obvious, of course, that the tool can be used for applying nails or screws wherever so desired and the tool can be further operated for severing relatively narrow strips of material when applied to other objects than containers.

The present invention can of course be readily modified but any changes to the construction shown herein which come within the scope of the appended claims, are deemed to be a part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A tool of the character described comprising a relatively long shaft, a handle secured to one end of said shaft and extending laterally therefrom, the opposite end of said shaft having a rectilinear cross sectional configuration forming tapered upper and lower faces and terminating in a relatively narrow end portion, said tapered upper and lower faces of said shaft having a narrow longitudinally extending slot formed therethrough, a lever pivotally connected to said shaft and extending through said slot, a cutting edge formed with one end of said lever for severing an object placed between the upper tapered face of said shaft and said cutting edge, a projection formed with the opposite end of said lever and adapted to extend at times from the lower tapered face of said shaft and said lever being capable of normally being seated Within said slot.

2. A tool for severing wire bound packages comprising a relatively long shaft, a handle secured to one end of said shaft, a tapered end portion formed with the opposite end of said shaft capable at times of being inserted between the package and a wire binding the same whereby the wire will rest upon one face of said tapered end portion of said shaft, said tapered end portion of said shaft having a slot formed therein, a lever pivotally connected to said shaft and capable at times of being entirely seated within said slot, a cutting edge formed with one end of said lever and terminating in a point, a handle formed with the opposite end of said lever and adapted to rest upon the package and said cutting edge of the lever caused to sever the wire resting upon one face of said tapered portion of the shank when pressure is applied to the handle secured to one end of said shank.

CHARLES M. MOLINELLI. 

